Happy Halloween
Posted on Sun Nov 18th, 2018 @ 11:33pm by Lieutenant JG Gallia Norris & Captain Gary Taylor & Lieutenant Commander Turak & Senior Chief Petty Officer Fernando De La Rosa [Taylor]
Edited on on Sun Nov 18th, 2018 @ 11:38pm
Mission:
MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Holodeck
Timeline: All Hallow's Eve
4443 words - 8.9 OF Standard Post Measure
Halloween was one of Gallia's favorite times of year, she waited for it with the anticipation kids had to open their presents on Christmas morning. She'd made a new holodeck program, a modification of one of her war games, only this one had a twist. Her only regret was that Tayalas was too young to take part. She checked the computer display, making sure everything was right as she awaited the others, bags of replicated candy on the table beside her, "Wouldnae be Halloween without somethin' sweet for the trick or treaters."
Gary entered the holodeck next, he had received an invitation to come to the holodeck for a Halloween surprise. Looking around he saw Ensign Norris. "Ensign." He greeted her pleasantly, "I can't wait to see what you have in mind for a Halloween surprise."
"Oh, Commander, you are gonna LOVE this." Gallia promised, pointing towards the table, "Help yourself to a bag of candy! It's Halloween after all."
"I'm sure I am Ensign." Gary said with a smile
Anje walked in next, a little unsure about all of this being as new as she was, but she wasn't going to miss a chance to get to know everybody and have a little fun. Thinking about the Halloween theme she'd come in costume, wearing a spacer's jumpsuit with SS Nostromo patches on it, her hair down and curled, "Well, glad I'm not the first here." She smiled, relieved, "Commander Taylor, and, I'm assuming, Ens. Norris."
"Right ya are, Ripley!" Gallia smiled and clapped, the costume was spot on! "Glad ya got that Halloween spirit, Lieutenant. Grab some candy!"
"Thank you." Anje nodded, seemed that at least this Ens. Norris was fun. She picked a bag off the table and looked inside, "Full size Snickers, Ensign? Very nice."
"Bloody right full size!" Gallia laughed hard, there was literally nothing fun about fun sized snacks...
Gary walked over to the table looked over the bags and finally picked up a bag. "I'll trade you a Snickers for a Three Musketeer bar." He said to Anje
"You've got a deal, Sir." Anje replied, she liked Three Musketeers, but peanuts were life for her. She quickly exchanged the Three Musketeers for the Snickers, "Pleasure doing business."
"With you as well Lieutenant." Gary replied and gave his bag a closer inspection. He found a Milky Way bar ( second only to a Three Musketeer Bar) a Mounds bar as well as an Almond Joy. "Want a Almond Joy bar Lieutenant?"
"The man knows my weakness." Anje laughed, offering the Mounds in exchange.
The hollow deck doors hissed open and in walked Captain Jack Sparrow well more precisely Petty Officer Fernando De La Rosa. He stepped inside saw Lieutenant Brett and froze for a moment. Then shaking his head he acknowledged the others, "Captain Jack Sparrow at your service mates."
"Ahoy, pirate." Anje smiled, the man had put some serious effort into his costume.
As this was his first holiday onboard the Elysium, Turak thought it would be prudent of him to make a showing and get to know some of the crew. When he stepped in, he made it a point to first find the hostess, Ensign Norris. When he finds her, he says, "Ensign Norris, thank you for your invitation to this Halloween Party. Even though I am Vulcan, I have spent the last several years on Earth during this holiday going trick-or-treating or just going to parties. It's definitely a unique holiday."
"Well," Gallia, all done up as Black Widow, replied, "I'm glad to have you join us, Lieutenant. There's candy on the table, punch will be here shortly."
Fernando offred one of his or rather Captain Jack's best smiles at Anje. "Ahoy fair lady. What matter of damsel might you be? I don't recognize the costume."
"I'm Ellen Ripley, flight officer of the SS Nostromo." Anje replied, "Alien fighter extraordinaire."
Fernando nodded, "What sort of aliens do you fight? The big drooling ones or the little itty bitty sneaky ones?"
After thanking the hostess and indulging in some of the candy, Turak decided to meet the Executive Officer. "Good evening Commander, I am LTJG Turak. I just reported onboard as a Security Officer."
Gary turned to meet the new security officer. Knowing the Vulcan aversion to physical contact he nodded and replied pleasantly. "Good evening Lieutenant, it's a pleasure to meet and welcome you aboard the USS Elysium. I don't think you'll find a better ship or crew."
Offering his hand to the Commander, Turak replies, "Thank you very much, Sir. I have certainly felt welcome here so far and am very excited to serve on this ship and its crew. As a personal matter Sir, I am not like your typical Vulcan. I was actually raised by parents who are known as 'Vulcan's without logic.' In other words, we believe in emotions and shun much of what Vulcans believe, I am even married to a human."
"My sincere apologies Lieutenant. I'll remember that." Gary answered and thrust his hand out to firmly shake Turak's
"My mother was a very logical Vulcan." Anje interjected, she'd been unable to avoid overhearing, "She also married a human, as did my even more logical grandmother. Seems to run in the family."
Gary looked over to Anje and then back to Turak. A very honorable race Vulcans." Gary observed "And sometimes damn annoying."
With a smile, Turak simply replies, "I hope to stay on your good side, Sir."
"Well, that's very good to know Mr. Turak " Gary said pleasantly "And what of you Lieutenant?" Gary said to Anje. "I'm presuming you wish to say on my good side as well so I'm going to let you both in on a little secret on how to do that." He motioned them closer, "Do your jobs to the best of your abilities." Now that being said, I don't want you both so tight, you worry about everything you do. I'm simply saying, mistakes happen but let it be a mistake because of what you were doing and not a mistake because you were too lazy to try or care."
~Damn it, Anje! You shouldn't have said anything, now you've already succeeded in annoying the XO.~ She internally chastised herself, before saying, "I guarantee you that's nothing you ever have to worry about here, Sir." She turned to look for the pirate guy, he would be a convenient excuse to get somewhere else, and, having found him, smiled, "Excuse me, gentlemen." before leaving like her ass was on fire.
Gary nodded at Anje's guarantee. "We'll see Lieutenant. We'll see."
Fernando was doing what he did best, entertaining himself. He was sampling the various goodies as well as the assortment of punches that were present. He was also sneakily looking for the alien fighter extraordinaire. By raising his eye patch and casing the place. What was her name? Robley?No, that wasn't right … Ripley! But she seemed to have wandered off. He sighed, she was probably overwhelmed by his presence.
"There you are!" Anje exclaimed, she wasn't quite that happy to have found him, but she was happy to be away from where she had been, "Thought I'd lost you for a minute."
Fernando turned at the voice, tried to talk but he had a Baby Ruth bar in his mouth and almost choked on the peanuts. So he nodded and grinned stupidly at Anje.
~Oh, wow. That's attractive...~ Anje thought, but didn't say anything, "So, here we are...." She began, not having a clue what to say or do at this point.
Fernando choked down the rest of the candy bar and then ran his tongue across his teeth to make sure there was no chocolate or coconut stuck to his teeth. "Indeed here we are." Fernando agreed. "Did you just transfer aboard the Elysium?" He asked, he figured that was a good place to start a conversation.
"Yes, just came on at DS9." Anje answered, "You?"
"I thought so." He replied. "I came aboard here before our last mission when the Elysium was stolen. I was part of team that helped get her back." He said proudly.
"Oh, that sounds fascinating." Anje said, mostly honestly, "Why don't you tell me about that?"
Fernando beamed! Someone wanted to hear about him. He liked to talk about himself especially when a pretty lady asked. "Well." He began his chest pumoing out like a peacock. "The Elysium was stolen right here at DS9 by some pirates. Commander Taylor commanded the pursuit vessel the Eclipse. We caught the pirates and a small team of security officers beamed over to the Elysium and after a brief firefight we secured the Elysium. Um, Toasty Buns, another security officer was injured in the fight but not seriously."
"Toasty Buns?" Anje raised an eyebrow. This guy was pretty full of himself, but it was an interesting story at least, "Do go on."
Fernando blushed scarlet. "Um, yes she got shot in her um, you know, her backside." He explained rapidly. "Not much after that. We retook the ship and returned here. I don't know what they did with the pirates. Turned them over to station security I suppose. It's above my pay grade."
"Long as they're gone, right?" Anje laughed nervously; this guy was a dolt with a massive ego, she knew this now, but anything was better than being over there annoying her boss again...
After saying his goodbye to the Commander, Turak was walking around the room looking at all of the costumes and different foods that were set out. It was at that moment that he heard Fernando relate his story about the stolen Elysium. He walked up to Fernando and said, "I couldn't help but to overhear your story about the pirates. Since I am a new Security Officer onboard the Elysium I am curious, how did they successfully steal the ship?"
Fernando turned his head at the latest interruption and potential rival for the lovely Ripley. "I am not sure. It seems they came aboard when the crew was not onboard as a cleaning team."
"Understood, thank you for the information," replied Turak. With that, Turak decided to retire for the night and get some rest before his first shift. "Good night, all."
"Uh, beggin' your pardon, Leftenant, if you're gonna leave early, least take a bag of candy with ya, hey?" Gallia offered, though she hoped the Vulcan would stay, "If ya must go, Happy Halloween then."
Fernando was many things, self centered, prideful, vain but one thing he wasn't was stupid. He could sense Anje was uncomfortable around him so he would change that. "Senorita." He said softly. "I can see you are uncomfortable around me, so I will take my leave of you and wish you a pleasant good evening." With that, he turned on his heel and headed for the door.
Gallia watched as not one, but now two, of her party guests fled the scene, "Well, this isnae good." She muttered to herself, staring daggers at the new Lieutenant who seemed to be making everybody uncomfortable. Yeah, Fernando might be a little thick, but he was a good guy with a good heart, and deserved to be treated with respect. Putting down her drink she chased after him, "Fernando, where ya goin', lad? Party's just gettin' started!"
Fernando turned as Gallia addressed him. He offered a wan smile. "Oh, um Ensign. I seem to have an adverse effect on some of the guests, so I thought it best I leave and not bring the party down any farther."
"I don't think you're the one bringin' down the party, Fernando." Gallia sighed, she knew exactly who was to blame for this, "Look, if you'd like I'll throw her out. This is my party and you're my friend."
He shook his head, "No, no. That isn't necessary." Fernando answered. "I thank you for saying I am not bringing the party down." He paused and continued on, "You are my friend as well and I will stay."
"Grassy-iss, Fernando." Gallia smiled, unintentionally butchering her friend's ancestral language; though in her defense it wasn't exactly designed for Scots...
"You be bonnie welcome lass." Fernando replied his Scottish accent leaving something to be desired. Though he had the best of intentions.
"Alright, so now we know neither of us can do an impression of the other for crap." Gallia laughed as they walked back into the party where the curly haired woman was still standing there. Gallia wanted to rip into her, but she reminded herself the woman was a superior and just walked by.
~Great, so she hates me...~ Anje sighed. She considered stopping Fernando to apologize, but figured it would probably only make things worse. She'd managed to pretty much make herself universally unwelcome here already it seemed, so she simply walked to the arch and exited the holodeck, vowing never to take part in any of these things for the remainder of her time on the Elysium.
Fernando saw the new Lieutenant head for the arch and leave the holodeck. "I will be right back!" He shouted as he headed for the arch and exited the holodeck. Looking around, he saw her a few feet away. "Lieutenant? Why did you leave? The party is just getting started. Please come back and enjoy it and yourself."
"Um, no, thank you. Really." Anje declined, "I should go. And, I promise you, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, so I'm going to go now before I ruin the party. Besides, your friend looks like she'd be much happier if I left... or maybe died, I don't know. Anyway, it's been nice meeting you. Here," She said, handing him her bag of candy, she didn't have an appetite anymore anyway, "Happy Halloween."
He shook his head, "You are being silly. It is alright a misunderstanding. Come back to the party. Please, I really would like you too and so would Ensign Norris. Keep your bag, you may want it later."
"Maybe you would." Anje smiled, taking back the candy. This guy was a little full of himself and maybe a little out of touch with reality, but under the pseudo swagger there was an inherent, caramel like sweetness, "But I can tell she wouldn't. Anyway, thank you, it's been a pleasure meeting you." She was half tempted to stay, but figured she probably shouldn't press her luck, "You've been very kind."
Fernando would not be deterred. "You are misjudging her. Please don't make the same mistake twice. Come back with me to the party and start fresh. If I know Ensign Norris, I'm sure she has some fun ideas planned. Don't miss out. Don't be a party pooper." He said with a smile. He stuck out his hand. "I am Fernando De La Rosa and you are?" He prodded her.
Anje desperately wanted to run out of there, she'd rather be facing down the Breen than continue to be at this party where she'd so far only succeeded in angering everybody, but she didn't want to hurt Fernando's feelings again, "Anje Brett." She replied, shaking his hand, "And, okay, I guess I'll stay a while longer."
"That's the spirit!" Fernando smiled broadly, "It is a pleasure to meet you Anje Brett. Now let us get back to the party and see what Ensign Norris has planned."
"Umm, okay, sure." Anje shrugged, following along behind Fernando and fervently hoping the rest of the party would go better, ~Not sure it could go worse....~
Fernando caught Anje's tone and turned to face her, "Now, Now. Happy face." He reminded her as they made their way back to the table.
Gallia couldn't believe that Fernando had managed, or even bothered, to convince the new Lieutenant to stay, but it wasn't going to change her approach to the rest of the night. She looked behind them to see Liorga finally arriving, that was good at least. She looked around, waiting to see if anyone else was coming, and it didn't appear that anyone was, "Well, I guess we're all here that's comin' now." She began, "So I guess it's time I let ya know we're all about to be in pretty serious danger..."
"Danger?" Liorga piped up, setting Gallia up to deliver her spiel, "What kind of danger could we be in at a Halloween party, Ensign?"
"Glad ya asked!" Gallia replied, thrilled that Liorga had done so perfectly with her lines, "This party's about to be invaded."
Gary had moved closer to the group. His ears perked up as Gallia said the party was about to be invaded. "Invaded by who or what Ensign?"
Gallia moved to the back of the room, pulling back a curtain to reveal a horde of ravenous zombies pounding on the windows and doors, "By them, sir."
Gary nodded, "I see. That certainly livens things up a bit. Um Ensign, do we have any weapons at our disposal?"
"That we do, Sir!" Gallia exclaimed happily, "But, there is a catch, ya see. If you'll all kindly look at your bags, you'll see on the right side under the Jack O'Lantern that it says 'Happy Halloween 1985.' So, for those of ya thinkin' you'll just whip out a phaser and start makin' zombie dust, yeah, not so much. Besides, what fun would that be anyway?"
"So," Liorga stepped in, "if you all will come this way, you'll find you've got access to any weapon you can think of, circa 1985. So, choose wisely." She was glad Gallia had decided to include her in this, though she still wished Estelle had decided to come along.
"Question ladies." Gary spoke again. "Are we allowed only one weapon and what of ammo?"
"If ya only take one you're daft!" Gallia laughed, "And there's ammo aplenty, but not infinite. Gotta leave some challenge, hey?"
"So we are allowed more than one weapon. What if I want a machine gun? I don't but what if someone does? Or is our choice of weapons confined to what the public could purchase?"
"i'd avoid the machine guns, Sir." Anje piped up, "Zombies require a head shot to take them down, so it's a low percentage shot already, you don't want to add muzzle climb to that."
"So, ya fancy yourself a zombie expert, do ya?" Gallia smiled, this woman might be fun after all.
"I've seen a few movies." Anje shrugged, "Maybe even own a few holos..."
"She's right, though." Gallia agreed, "But machine guns are available, if you'd like. Me, I'd go for something else."
Gary looked at them both. "I said I don't want one. What I want is a Smith & Wesson 45 auto and a Winchester 45 caliber 1876 rifle."
"I was just speaking in general, Sir." Anje said, then shut up quickly; she seemed to have managed to irritate the XO again, ~Might be time to put in for a transfer while I've still got a career left.~
"Fine choices." Gallia nodded, quickly producing the weapons in question for the XO, "You've got three magazines, 10 rounds each for the pistol. Another hundred rounds, but you'll need to reload. A hundred for the rifle."
"Thank you." Gary said with a wink. He took the offered weapons. He slammed one clip in to the auto and checked the rifle to make sure it was loaded as well. With the other clips and ammo he dropped into a small utility bag and slung it over his shoulder.
Fernando had been mulling his choices. The XO obviously knew weapons. "I would like a Colt .357 magnum and a 270 Remington rifle. If you please."
"A Python man!" Gallia grinned happily as the replicator created the ancient, elegant firearm and the rifle as well, "There ya are! You've got four speedloaders, a full cylinder, and the hundred and hundred." She then turned to the new woman, Anje, and spoke, "And what for you, Ripley?"
"Walther PPK in .380 Automatic with attached suppressor and a crossbow." Anje answered quickly, stealth was going to be the name of her game.
"Very good." Gallia nodded, this woman apparently knew her zombies.
Fernando took his weapons, "Thank you." He answered as he made sure they were loaded. He looked at Anje, "Would you like to team up?" He asked innocently.
Gary looked at the crossbow, "Good choice Lieutenant. "What kind of shafts are you going to use?" He looked at Gallia, "Can, I request a sword? specifically a rapier?"
"Titanium, that way they won't bend when I take them out of a walker." Anje answered readily, "Reuse them." She then turned to Fernando, "Sure, sounds like fun. You can keep me covered with that rifle."
"And of course ya can have your rapier, Sir." Gallia laughed, producing it quickly and handing it over, "Good and sharp, like a Scot's wit."
"Excellent." Fernando replied, "You need not worry. I am an excellent shot."
Gary nodded in approval, "Good thinking." He commented as he took the rapier from Gallia and slung it over his back. "Just the way I like it." He quipped.
Gallia next turned to Liorga, "So, what'll it be, Rapunzel?" She asked.
".45 caliber 1911 Automatic, please." Liorga began, "And I'll take a Winchester like the Commander's, better give me a machete, too."
"Nice, gonna split some scalps are ya?" Gallia joked as she made the weapons.
"That's what they get for having more hair than me." Liorga laughed hard, slamming a magazine into the .45, "Let's do this."
''Right, right." Gallia nodded, replicating a Glock 21 for herself along with a 12 gauge Winchester Mariner shotgun with pistol grip.
"No blade?" Liorga asked, they seemed pretty popular tonight.
"Already got one." Gallia winked, producing a proper Scottish Dirk from her waistband, "No good Scot would be caught dead without one!"
At that moment the holographic door gave way, the undead beginning to spill into the party led by a massive, decaying hulk who appeared to be over seven feet tall and weigh over 400 pounds; the hulk barely got through the door before falling backwards onto several of his fellows, a crossbow bolt lodged right between his eyes, "No party crashers!" Anje chided with a satisfied smirk as she reloaded and sent another zombie back to the grave, "And that's why I love crossbows." She said to Fernando, "They say frack off in every language in the universe, even zombie."
"BLOODY HELL!" Gallia exclaimed, she'd not seen archery of that level since the last time Dolana was at the Highlands Games, this woman was something else.
Fernando wasn't lying to Anje when he said he was an excellent shot. He brought his rifle up and calmly sighted. Took a steadying breath and Drilled one, then another zombie between the eyes. "See?" He crowed. "I told you Fernando could shoot." As he calmly put two more zombies down.
Gary took his Winchester and fired into the horde of zombies. He smiled with grim satisfaction as onw after another the zombies fell. He also realized he, the group would blow through the ammo they had if they weren't careful. He was still okay on the ammo count but considered switching to his rapier. "Pick your targets. Don't waste ammo." He admonished the group.
"If someone can keep me covered I'll get my bolts back." Anje said, shooting a wink to Fernando, "Way to handle that blunderbuss, pirate!" Okay, so maybe he was kind of a dip, he was also fun and pretty cute, that counteracted dippyness any day.
Fernando saw Anje wink at him and nearly fainted. He quickly recovered and boldly replied, "Say no more Senorita. I shall keep watch over you, while you retrieve your arrows." He brought his rifle to show he was ready.
"Thanks." Anje smiled, firing another bolt off into some poor zombie as she moved forward, retrieving bolts from her previous victims.
Fernando fired a shot then another as Anje moved forward, downing one then another zombie in rapid order. He stayed behind her but didn't crowd in case quick movement was required.
Gallia could see what the other woman was doing now and it delighted her, "Good goin' there!" She encouraged as the curly haired woman began pulling bolts from her prey's re-killed corpses. She fired a shot from her pistol as one got too close to Anje, sending him backwards into another.
"Thanks!" Anje waved, stabbing another encroaching zombie through the eye with one of the recovered bolts, pulling it back out and loading it into the crossbow, quickly using it to kill another zombie.
Gary methodically fired his rifle, he wasn't going to waste shots. He concentrated on the zombies closest to group. With so many targets it wasn't hard. Resighted and fired again.
It didn't take Anje long to reload and impale a particularly decayed zombie through it's eye, nailing it to the door frame and blocking the entrance of the others, at least temporarily, "Okay, I bought us some time." She announced, "If all you riflemen want some targets of opportunity, here you go!"
Gary nodded with approval, "Good work Lieutenant! Now fall back." He looked to Fernando and Liorga, "Lets take em out! Make your shots count!" Bringing his rifle up and centering it on the closest zombie's head.
Liorga threw her rifle to her shoulder when a new ghoul, clad in a black and red leather jacket stepped to the forefront and began to..... DANCE???? "Frack." She swore, turning to Norris, "Gallia, I thought you fixed this!"
"Fixed what?" Gallia asked, then turned to see the ghoul in leather was none other than Michael Jackson, then the other zombies began mimicking his dance moves, "Ahh, bloody hell! I thought I had that fixed!"
"What are they doing?" Liorga asked, thoroughly confused.
"Thriller." Anje interjected, laughing.
"Can ya fix it maybe?" Gallia asked, Anje was in ops, this was in her field of specialty, she might be better at it than Gallia apparently was.
"Maybe." Anje shrugged, "But.... I know this is going to sound weird, I kind of like it this way."
Suddenly there was a flash of movement to the side and in the next Fernando was standing next to "Michael Jackson' and he had dragged Anje out there with him! Fernando was mirroring "Michael' perfectly as he shook and shimmied and gave the zombie look and then threw his hands straight out in front of him and marched around. He looked at Anje, "Come Lieutenant, it's easy. It's like the hokey pokey for zombies."
"Yeah, Leiutenant." Gallia teased, "Chumon."
"The things I find myself dragged in to." Anje shook her head and went with Fernando, ~When in Rome, I suppose....~
